UAE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000376 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SA/A, SA/FO, NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2016 TAGS: EAID ECON PREL PHUM AF AE SUBJECT: UAE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO AFGHANISTAN Classified By: AMBASSADOR MICHELE J. SISON FOR REASONS 1.4 B & D ¶1. (C) On January 30, on the margins of U.S.-UAE FTA negotiations in London, Minister of Economy and Planning Sheikha Lubna Al-Qasimi provided Econchief with information detailing UAE aid to Afghanistan. She stressed that the UAE would prefer that the UAE treat this information confidentially. The original Arabic document states that the SIPDIS UAE has pledged or provided Afghanistan with $73,901,010 in assistance to Afghanistan. ¶2. (SBU) Begin Embassy translation of text: --During the 2004 Tokyo Donor's Conference, the UAEG pledged USD $30 million for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. --The UAEG donated USD $3 million to the Afghan Fund during the Ninth Session of the Islamic States Ministers of Foreign Affairs Conference. --The UAE provided in-kind assistance of $19,521,766 - including transportation, communication equipment, office materials; computers and clothing. --The UAE provided $21,379,244 in humanitarian assistance (to include all necessities for life). (Note: The document indicates that NGOs have contributed in this assistance.) ¶3. (SBU) The documents also include a breakdown of assistance provided to Afghanistan by three of the UAE's quasi-governmental NGOs. This assistance totals $25.4 million and is included in the above $73.9 million figure. A summary of the NGO breakdown is as follows: --The UAE Red Crescent provided Afghanistan with $18,910,721 in assistance between 2001 and May of 2005 to include food, blankets, medical assistance, operating an air bridge, sponsoring orphans, construction of houses and mosques. --From October 2001 to March 2005, the Mohamed bin Rashid Charitable Foundation provided Afghanistan with assistance totaling $5,385,349 drilling wells, sponsoring orphans, providing air-bridges of supplies, Ramadan "Iftars", clothing, etc. --The Sheikh Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation has pledged to build a $2,000,000 maternity and children's hospital near the Sheikh Zayed City. ¶5. (SBU) Comment. In regards to the $30 million reconstruction pledge, Emirati officials have repeatedly told us that they have not found appropriate reconstruction projects yet. End Comment. SISON SISON